When I checked out from Alleppey Gostops, I woke up early to visit Alleppey Beach and have a different and more pleasant experience than the night before. When I woke up, I realized I was the only person in the whole dormitory at the hostel, as the guy I shared the room with had also left early in the morning. I had the entire hostel to myself, especially that room. I changed into my beach clothes, freshened up, and headed towards the beach road in Alleppey. Unlike the previous night's dark atmosphere, Alleppey Beach Road looked breathtaking, and I felt great walking on those beautiful roads surrounded by greenery.
I walked along the lengthy shore of the beach twice under the Kerala sun. The blue sky, warm sand, cold waves, and the early morning exercise routines of the people, along with the birds and the rustic beach barriers, made Alleppey Beach look different in my eyes. It wasn't as lively as other beaches, but it was peaceful. As a lone wanderer on the shore in my vest and shorts, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent there. I took some beautiful photos and videos and also practiced beach yoga. My half-hour beach yoga session at Alleppey Beach was a perfect start to the morning.
After spending a lovely me-time at the beach, I dragged myself out of the shore sand looking for breakfast. I have also seen a typical vintage hotel with an older man selling Tamil breakfast to his grandson. I had a plate of Pongal and idly with a hot cup of coffee on that December morning. It gave me the boost to start my day well, as it was also the day to bid goodbye to Alleppey.
When I returned to my hostel, I found the loneliness quite irritating, but the surroundings looked scenic in the morning. I decided to explore the whole area and took pictures. Afterward, I prepared to explore the surroundings of Alleppey Beach Road before catching my bus at night. I made a plan and asked the receptionist to take care of my backpack in the hall downstairs until I returned in the evening. I was relieved when he agreed because I didn't want to roam around with a heavy backpack all day. Thanks to the staff's support, I could leave my backpack without worry.
I dressed in traditional attire and planned to visit the nearby temples. One in particular caught my eye, and I'll write a blog about it soon. I spent the day exploring and participating in various temple rituals until late afternoon. I had lunch at a nearby café, which became my go-to spot during my two-day trip to Alleppey.
I needed more time to explore the scenic backwaters of Alleppey because they were far away from the Alleppey beach road where I had booked my accommodation. Instead of risking missing my bus in the evening, I explored the backwater neighborhoods at the Sea View Ward of Alappuzha. They looked almost abandoned because it was evident that the government was no longer interested in developing the backwaters, especially after the 2019 floods. However, in my eyes, they looked terrific. They were poorly maintained, but I could explore them peacefully, walking by either side of the roads with individual houses towering amazingly. Those neighborhoods, the people, their homely lifestyle, their gardens, lanes, and simple evening routines made me feel happy to see such an austere living after a long time.
I am drawn to the simple suburban or even rural lifestyle instead of the fast-paced Metropolitan lifestyle. The fresh air, the genuine people, and the appeal of living with less and finding more happiness speak to me. One evening, I walked through the streets of Alleppey's sea view ward, and the adjoining neighborhoods with their backwater channels flowing in front of each house caught my attention. I was so captivated that I decided to spend a few months in Alleppey shortly. That evening, I explored every nook and cranny of those backwaters and observed the daily ongoings.
Even though the old park structures looked abandoned, the greenery surrounding them remained vibrant. Memories of park constructions, including swings, benches, slides, and walking lanes, were still intact but needed to be better maintained. Some of the structures appeared abandoned yet remarkably beautiful. While taking photos of the surroundings, some locals asked me why I was interested in these spots when there were many other beautiful backwater channels with houseboats. I explained that I enjoy finding beauty in unexpected places. They chuckled and shared how the areas used to look gorgeous before the floods. Despite the lack of maintenance by the authorities, the locals expressed their fondness for these spots, as they had built their livelihoods and homes around them and still enjoyed leisure time there.
Fortunately, these lanes were within walking distance of the Gostops Alleppey hostel. So, I strolled around and came across a museum nearby where many old Christian antiques were on display. Most of the people in Alleppey were Christians and Muslims. As a Hindu, I marveled at the mosques and churches, appreciating the Indo-European architecture. Ironically, that afternoon, I had a fantastic time at one of the most powerful temples in Kerala.
I respect the local culture without compromising my travel and exploration ethics. I spent the day walking around the neighborhood and exploring its backwater channels. When I returned to the hostel at 5:30, the staff kindly let me freshen up before I left. After changing my travel clothes from my traditional attire, I said goodbye to the dogs I had befriended and checked out of Alleppey Gostops.
I started my day at Alleppey Beach Road and headed to my favorite cafe to grab some samosas, coffee, and sandwiches. After that, I took an auto ride to YMCA Alleppey to catch the bus back to Bangalore. Alleppey was the last stop on my spontaneous trip of 2023. Initially, I planned to visit Coimbatore in December, but I also ended up visiting Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, Alleppey, and Wayanad in Kerala. Watch for my upcoming blogs to read in detail about my impromptu travel adventures.
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